The executive director of the Maryhill Art Museum, Colleen Scrafroth, encourage my art business class to define our own success. Maybe success is getting a show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Maybe it’s making enough money to live. Maybe it’s a day in your studio, painting. The latter was how one of my classmates defined her success. She loves the process of painting, and it makes her happy. That is success to her.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I love painting in large part because it’s a challenge. It makes me think constantly. It’s analysis and decision. And often in all of that it’s really joyful. And often in all of that it’s really frustrating. I began thinking about my mental state while painting in terms of this classmate’s definition of success and I want it to be more of the second.
So March’s painting a day* has a new twist for me. I’m going to try and use the exercise not just as a way to get into my studio but to begin to teach myself a new discipline within my studio: That of happiness.
It’s strange how just a little shift of focus can change how you see.
*I missed two days in a row due to auction crazy. Auction was a success (and a 17 hour work day) and now I’m back into a more regular schedule. March on!
Mar 8, 2014, 11:23pm